Display device



Dec. 17, 1929.

D. J. COFFEY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTO ATTORNEY Dec. 17, 1929. J, co Q 1,740,071

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 23. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY mam ATTORNEY Dee. 17, 1929. D, J, COFFEY 1,740,071

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 40 F @l 1 1 4O L S c ML 4, r

Fiat

7 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES DANIEL J. corner, on NEW YORK, 1v. 3. r

ISPLAY DEVICE Application filed March 23, 1927. Serial No. 177,580.

structure and to be extended upwardly along the outer wallsurface of a building under construction or repair as the scaifoldis raised in the course of the work. 7

In one form of the invention, the upper end of the sign structure is attached directly to the scaffold so that as the scaffold is raised the sign is drawn upwardly to an extended position corresponding with the distance between the scaffold and the ground below. In another form of the invention the sign structure is carried by halyards vpassing through sheaves or pulleys supported at the upperedge of the framework under construction,,the halyards passing thence downwardly to the scafiold to which they. are attached. In this form of the invention the weight of the sign-is not carried by the scaffold. but instead is so supported as to produce upward lift on the scaffold structure. I I

Another feature of, the invention resides in I 5 the provision of means for automatically maintaining a level condition of the upper edge of the sign structure even though the scaffold is at an inclination or in other than a level condition. y

Still another feature of the invention resides in the'provision of means for housing that portion of the elongated sign structure which is not exposed, the housing meansbeing 33 located at the base of the building so that the sign member can. be drawn upwardly therefrom as space provides. 7

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, in which a number of embodiments of the invention have beenselected for illsutration: p

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a display device embodying the invention and shown inconnection witha scaffold used in a building under construction;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation and on an enlarged scale of a form of attachment used in, connecting the sign structure to a scaffold e i Figure 3is a view similar to Fi ure 2 showinganother form of thispart o the invention; I

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing still another form of this part of the invention e r Figure 5 is a View in elevation with parts broken away of a modified form of sign structure; r-

Figure 6 is a view in end elevation and) --with parts broken away showing a housing device for the lower end of the sign structure; Figure 7 is a perspective view. wlth parts broken away of a modified form of housing for the unused part ofthe sign structure; .75

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of a modified form of the invention shown in Figure 1; I

Figure 9 is'a view in side elevation and on a, reduced scale of the parts shown in Fig- 30 ure 8. a v Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention, a sign structure is shown in Figure 1 which consists of a series of display sections 10 formed of, 35

- suitable sheet material, such as a lightweight fabric having relatively high tensile strength; The sections 10 are attached in individually separated relation to apair of. halyards 11 so that the sections display characters'in such, 00 relation to each other that a word or message may be spelled out. 7 Y

The sign structure shown in Figure 1 is arranged to be attached at one end toa scaffold member 12 used in connection with a building WV-ith this structural arrangement, as the scaffold 12 is elevated in the course of construction, the sign is correspondingly extended vertically along the face of the building.

In theconstruction shown in Figure 1'. the

'ber 16 is supported.

sign is partly housed in a casing or receptacle 14 located at the base of the building at a point directly beneath the scaffold to which the upper end of the sign is attached. As the sign structure is withdrawn "from the housing 1 1, it is unrolled from a reel 15 to which a brake 16 may be applied to prevent unwinding of the reel except when the scaffold is being raised. A hand lever 17 carriesa cam 18 which has cooperative relation with an arm 19 pivoted at 20 and on which the brake mem- A. crank 21 is used for rerolling the sign member onto the reel 15 at the finish of an operation.

A modified form 01 a holding or storage device is shown in Figure 7 of the drawings in which a receptacle 22 is adapted to hold a sign member 23 in a reversely folded relation,

the member leading out through a slot 2 1- in the cover member 25 of the receptacle and between tensioning rollers 26 which are engaged by spring tensioning members 31.

In Figure 5 of the drawings there is shown 'a form of the invention in which a display member 27 is used which has a relatively continuous structure as distinguished from the interrupted sign structure shown 1n Figure 1. In order to prevent the sign member 27 shown in Figure 5 from catching air or windcurrents openings 28 and 29 are preferably provided between the sections of the sign which contain the display characters 30.

In order to provide for adjustment of the scaffold structure 12 without tilting or substantially disturbing the level of the upper end of the sign structure, a pair of spring members 32 are interposed between across bar 33 to which the halyards 11 of the'sign structure are directly attached and the floor board of the scailold structure 12. The spring members 32 are preferably placed at the end portions of the cross bar 33 so that a substantial inclination of the scafilold structure 12 may take place without corresponding inclination of the cross bar 33 andthe upper edge 34 ofthe sign structure 10. The cross bar 33 is positively attached to the scaffold structure 12 through a hook member 35 which engages with an eye member 36 in the floor board of the scaffold.

In Figure 3 of the drawings there is shown another form of the invention for preserving the level of the upper end of the sign structure. In this form of the invention the cross bar 33 which forms the upper terminal member of the sign structure is connected to the scaffold through a cable member 37 which 1 passes over sheave members 38 mounted on 7 p "the scaffold structure. With this arrangement the cable member 37 will move through the sheaves to provide for an inclined relation of the scaffold with relation to the cross bar 33.

the preservation of the level of the upper extremity of the sign structure is obtained. In this form of the invention, a section of elastic material, such as rubber, is inserted as at 39 between the sign structure 10 and the scaftold 12.

In Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings there is shown an adaptation of the invention which obviates the carrying of the weight of the sign structure by the scai'lold, a provision of this nature being desirable when the sign structure is of great length such as would be the case with a tall building of the skyscraper 'type. The "form of the invention shown in t iese Figures includes the supporting 01? the sign structure on supports mounted on the building framework and thereby relieves the scailold of the weight of the sign parts.- I carry out this invention, for exam ple, by providing a pair of supporting beams 10 which extend beyond the outer face of the building and support sheave blocks 41 over which halyards 4:2 attached to a cross bar 4C3 pass and are returned to the scafiold to which they are attached as at 14. The cross bar 43 is attached to the bar a5 which forms a terminal portion of the sign-structure 10 through a cable and sheave structure 37 and 38 such as is shown in Figure 3 of the draw-' ings. The halyards 12, supporting the sign structure, pass through eyes 41-6 on the'scaffold and are tree to move therein. lVith this structural arran ement it will be seen that the weight of thesign is carried mainly by the supporting beams 40and'in part through the attachment of the halyards 42 to the scaffold at 4 1, the pullproduced on the scaffold through this connection being upwardly and not downwardly.-

will thus be seen that I have not only succeeded in eliminating the weight of the sign from the scaffold but I have actually made use of the weight of the sign structure to assist insupporting the scaffold. I

' It will be seen that in the adjustment of the sign structure in the form shown in Figures 8 and 9 the o erators standin on the scaf-v told 12 have merely to loosen the halyards where they are tied at a l tothe scati oldrail and to then lift the sign to the desired elevabuilding structure as at 18. .For this purpose, advantage may be taken of the e di nary window cleaner supporting bolts which are built into the pier portions ot wall constructions. The sign may also be held in place by passing a suitable cord or cable around a convenient pier or other building part and thereby fastening the sign structure in place.

While I have referred to the use of a receptacle as at 14 at the base of the building beneath the scaffold, rather than an arrangement comprising a receptacle in which the sign is furled on the scaffold itself it will be understood that this particular arrangement is not essentiaL.

The terms and expressionswhich I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention,'in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that va rious structural modifications are possible 'Wltlllll the scope of the 1nvent10n clalmed.

What I claim is:

1. In a display device, an elongated flex-- ible sign, means for attachlng one end of the maintaining the sign in a tensioned condition as it is drawn from the receptacle.

2. In a display device, an elongated fleX- ible sign structure having openings of sub-- stantial size therein, means for suspending the sign from a scaffold, means in the sus pension means for maintaining the upper edge of the sign in a level condltlon' when the scaffold is tilted, and means beneath the scaffold for holding the sign in a furler condition from which the sign may be drawn as the scaffold is raised. 7

3. In a display device, an elongated flexible sign, means at an elevated portion of a building for supporting the sign, sheaves carried by the supporting means, halyards attached to the sign and passing over the sheaves, the free ends of said halyards being attached to a scaffold, and means beneath the scaf- 7 fold for holding a portion of the sign in a furled condition from which it may be drawn into display position by the workers on the scaffold. Y

4%. In a display-device, an elongated flexible sign, a scaffold, a sheave mounted on an upper portion of the building above the scaffold, a halyard extending from the sign and over the sheave, the free end of said halyard being attached to the scaffold, guiding means on the scaffold through which the halyard passes, a receptacle for holding a portion of the sign in a furled condition from whichit may be drawn into display position by the workers on the scaffold, and means associated with the receptacle for maintaining the sign in a taut condition as it is drawn from the receptacle. 7

5. In a display device, an elongated flexible sign, means for attaching one end of the sign to a scaffold comprising a central nonyielding tension member and lateral yieldable tension members, whereby the upper DANIEL J. COFFEY. 

